Guest guest Posted March 22, 2003 Report Share Posted March 22, 2003 :Fri, 21 Mar 2003 14:00:00 -0500 WC Douglass Bloody good Daily Dose March 21, 2003 ************************************************************** To boost your ticker, cook steak quicker... By now, you've probably heard about homocysteine. I've been writing about it for nigh on 20 years, and unless you're new to alternative medicine, you've probably heard a bit about how it relates to heart disease... But just in case you've haven't, here's a refresher: Homocysteine is a harmful amino acid your body forms as a by- product of the digestion of certain foods (like well-done steak). Increased homocysteine in the bloodstream is strongly associated with the occurrence of heart disease. This correlation has been common knowledge in alternative medicine circles for years. Your body, however, has a built-in defense mechanism against homocysteine buildup -- it transforms it into a harmless substance called cystathionine, which is flushed from the body in the urine. Again, old news. Here's what's new: Recent research conducted in the Netherlands points to the likelihood that some people are genetically unable to convert homocysteine at a sufficient rate, contributing to unsafe levels in the body and subsequent increased risk of heart disease. This research also studied the effects of a treatment for homocysteine my alternative medicine colleagues and I have been recommending for years: Folic acid. And the results confirmed what I've known all along: Folic acid supplementation lowers homocysteine, decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Now, other studies have shown this in the past. But the Netherlands research took it one step further, concluding that those people with a genetically reduced capacity to process homocysteine were ONLY at increased risk for heart disease when their folic acid levels were low... What that means is this: Even if you're one of those unfortunate souls whose body is ill-equipped to break down homocysteine, folic acid supplementation can " even the playing field " as far as your heart disease risk goes. But taking folic acid isn't the only thing you can do to reduce blood homocysteine -- Vitamins B12 and B6 are also critical for the metabolism of this killer amino acid. Oh, and when you cook steak, prepare it as rare as you can enjoy it -- because the closer to " well done " it is, the more homocysteine you'll produce in digesting it... But don't skip the steak altogether -- it's too good for you! Just be sure to simply replenish your folic acid and B vitamins regularly and you'll be fine. ************************************************************** Does the right hand know what the left hand's botching? A couple of weeks ago, I read about a University of Cincinnati College of Medicine survey of US hand surgeons that revealed an astonishing fact: More than 20% of them have operated on the wrong site at least once in their careers -- most often the wrong hand, sometimes the wrong wrist. To err is human, I know -- but are these guys dyslexic or something? Medical errors are a big problem -- I write about them all the time -- but ONE OUT OF FIVE? That's a lot of docs making mistakes. The study also notes that around 10% of all medical malpractice claims are filed against orthopedic surgeons. No wonder their insurance is so high nowadays. Plaintiffs almost always win lawsuits that involve wrong- site surgery, as well they should... But never fear -- bureaucrats to the rescue! To combat these and other preventable errors, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons in 1998 launched the " Sign Your Site " campaign -- a movement that encourages surgeons to clearly mark their initials on the correct site as part of their pre- operative routine... Sort of like an " X marks the spot " on a treasure map. To this revelation, they've added the suggestion that surgeons not only verify the proper site -- but also make sure that they're operating on the right patient before making any incisions. What a revelation: Make sure you're cutting up the right site on the right person. Thank God the AAOS is on the case. But what I wonder is this: Do these kinds of blunders ever happen when surgeons operate on each other? Are they more careful when it's their buddy under the knife, rather than Joe Schmoe? Now that's a study I'd really be interested in seeing... Taking a bite out of heart disease, William Campbell Douglass II, MD ************************************************************** Copyright ©1997-2003 by www.realhealthnews.com, L.L.C. 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